Part of the Honda Civic Mk9 (2012–2017) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2013 Honda Civic petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Honda Civic first registered in 2013 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 23,518 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

23,518MOTs of 2013 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
76%pass first time (all 2013 cars: 67%)
6,600typical miles a year
2.2×the usual rate for ball joint dust cover

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2013 Honda Civic petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2013 Honda Civic petrol than on all cars registered in 2013.

  • Ball joint dust cover2.2× usual
    Honda Civic
    4.7% All 2013 cars
    2.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.9% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Better than most

Coil springs: 1.8% here, against 7.5% of all 2013 cars. Suspension arm bushes and joints: 2.9% here, against 7.7% of all 2013 cars.

Common 2013 Honda Civic petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2013 Honda Civic petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    29% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    22% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    18% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    15% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Known faults on the 2013 Honda Civic petrol

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Automatic wipers that stop working

    All engines

    The rain-sensing wipers can stop working properly. Fixes range from a battery reset to a new sensor or a software update.

    At the viewing: Switch the wipers to auto and spray the windscreen.

    Source: Auto Express: used Honda Civic Mk9

  • Uneven panel gaps

    All engines

    Some owners report uneven gaps between panels, especially around the tailgate. It can also hide a past repair, so it's worth a close look.

    At the viewing: Look along the tailgate and doors for gaps that differ side to side.

    Source: Auto Express: used Honda Civic Mk9

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2013 Honda Civic petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Have the wipers or rain sensor had any work?
  2. Has the car had any bodywork?
  3. Any recent work on the ball joint dust cover? (Flagged at MOT 2.2× as often on the 2013 Honda Civic petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Honda Civic?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Honda Civic compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023106Tyres 9%
20221,423Tyres 18%
20219,722Tyres 22%
202016,717Tyres 23%
201937,647Tyres 26%
201840,248Tyres 27%
201743,390Tyres 28%
201648,160Tyres 29%
201544,652Tyres 29%
201442,908Tyres 30%
201239,112Tyres 30%
201133,295Suspension 37%
201050,086Suspension 44%
200957,140Suspension 48%
200863,059Suspension 50%
200768,363Suspension 53%
200643,999Suspension 55%
200538,412Suspension 50%
200432,054Suspension 52%
200323,129Suspension 54%
200220,098Suspension 53%
200113,821Suspension 55%
20005,245Suspension 47%
19994,379Suspension 45%
19983,251Suspension 46%
19972,753Suspension 46%
19961,821Suspension 45%
19951,143Suspension 38%
1994735Suspension 33%
1993601Suspension 32%
1992569Suspension 33%
1991687Suspension 32%
1990364Suspension 30%
1989–Too few tests
1988–Too few tests
1987–Too few tests
1986–Too few tests
1985–Too few tests
1984–Too few tests
1983–Too few tests
1982–Too few tests
1979–Too few tests
1978–Too few tests
1977–Too few tests
1976–Too few tests
1975–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Honda Civic cars first registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score